Canadian drug suspect found hanged in cell

A CANADIAN inmate wanted in the United States in connection with narcotics trafficking was found hanged in his cell at the Narcotic Suppression Bureau (NSB) yesterday, police said.

Alexander Cazes, 26, had been detained since July 5 after he was arrested at a residence in Thawee Watthana district by officers acting on an extradition request from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

He was found to have hanged himself with a towel in the bathroom of his cell in Bang Khen district at around 8am yesterday, police said.

The Canadian was supposed to be preparing himself to see a public prosecutor for the extradition process when officers found him dead, according to NSB commander Sommai Kongwisaisuk.

It remained unclear whether anybody witnessed the incident, since his cell was separate from the others, police said. However, they added that inmates at other cells had heard Cazes asking officials about his appointment with the public prosecutor about an hour before he was found dead.

Primary inspections indicated no evidence of a fight at the scene and no wound was found on his body, police said.

Cazes had been in Thailand for seven or eight years without any criminal record |in this country. He had a Thai wife and |apparently earned money from a computer business.

After his arrest, police confiscated Bt400 million worth of assets, including four Lamborghini supercars and three houses.

His case could have been prosecuted in Thailand but the FBI made a request for his extradition. Cazes had given his consent to be tried in the US, and Thai authorities had been proceeding accordingly, a senior NSB officer, Chayaphot Hasoonha, said.